Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. OHENOWETH.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 450,928. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

Wiinesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH OHENOWETH, OF ELLIOTT, IOIVA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,928, dated April 21, 1891.

Application filed February 3, 1891- Serial No. 380,040. (No model-l To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH CHENOWETH, of Elliott, in the county of Montgomery and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in oar-couplers; and it consists in the combination of the draw-heads having shoulders formed upon their under sides, the pivoted link-supportsor hooks, and the swinginglinks, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a coupling by means of which the cars can be coupled wlthout having the brakeman to venture in between the cars and in which the coupling-links hang down under the drawheads, so as to be brought into use only when needed.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a car-coupling which embodies my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same.

A represents the draw-heads, which are provided with the shoulders B at theirlowcr outer corners and which have the slots O formed vertically through them. Each draw-head may be provided with the usual recess in its front end, so as to make connection with cars having the ordinary pin-and-hook coupling. Pivoted in the slots 0 are the circular hooks or link-supporters E, which have their lower ends to project down sufficiently far to strike against the rear edge of the shoulders B, and which have passed through their upper corners the rods or handles D, which extend horizontally through them. By means of these handles or levers the hooks can be raised at any time either from above by means of levers or chains or while the brakeman is standing upon the ground or the end platform of the car. In raising up upon these levers or hanof these hooks are placed about on a line with the shoulders B, so that any downward pressure upon the lower ends of the hooks or supports only serves to hold the hook more securely in position. The links G, of any desired length, are pivoted to the draw-heads a suitable distance back of their front ends and are braced, so as to enable them to stand any strain that may be brought to bear upon them. These links hangnormally downward when not in operation, and are provided with suitable lugs or projections I, to which chains, levers, or other suitable dividing devices are connected. \Vhen the cars run together, these links are raised, so as to be guided toward the lower ends of the hooks or supports, and these hooks give backward, so as to allow the front end of the link to enter the recess in the opposing draw-head. The lower end of the hook immediately snaps back in posi* tion and supports the end of the link in place.

In order to uncouple the cars it is only necessary to raise up upon the handle or lever connected to the link-support or hook that is in operation and the link will drop down out of the way.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- The combination of the draw-heads provided with shoulders upon their under sides and having slots through their front ends with the curved hooks or link-supports and the coupling-links, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH OIIENOIVETII.

\Vitnesses:

J. H. Pnrrr, CHARLES BALDWIN. 

